Man, this is quite a violent series. I watch it, but I'm not fan of gory movies. I read the manga, but the same thing applies. Sadly, I'm going to have to revert to reading the novel to get a real taste for the series.

Wait, are you sure about this? If he's the character I'm thinking of (psycho with a shotgun) he does say something at the beginning when they're picking out bags. He says he got the "wrong one" and trades it for another, perhaps providing yet another clue that the game (at least this particular round) is rigged.

Anyway, awesome movie all around, although the plot was several holes in it. Granted, dunno, if those are holes as much as just stuff related to Japanese culture I don't understand, but here's some thoughts (most of these have already been pointed out by other people, so I can't claim ownership of them):

1. Point of the game seems to be population control and to curb out of control student behavior, yet the classes are (supposedly) randomly chosen.

The hell? Wouldn't it make more sense to choose the WORST class? Not a random one? Granted, unless the population control is more important...

2. Again to point one, game is supposed to curve bad behavior, but it seems like NONE Of the students know about it. Hey, according to the book, they've heard of the "Battle Royale" but they don't know the details. Again, how the hell is this going to curb bad behavior if you don't tell people about it?

For that matter, how can they NOT know about it, when the winner of the game is BROADCAST on TV? What, they just say, "Okay, this girl won Battle Royale! We can't tell exactly how she won, or even what it consists of, but we assure you, winning is a big deal!"

On a satirical note, I gotta say, "Japanese teachers are WUSSIES!" They're showing how "bad" the schools are by having a teacher show up to find his entire class have skipped for that day, and then some guy stabs him in the leg, causing such a grievous injury he's able to hobble on over to a drinking fountain and clean the wound.

Granted, I know in a country that's culturally taught to revere old people this is probably tantamount to blasphemy, but come on! In a lot of inner city school this would be considered "mild antics".

I love this movie. The English translation of the book is also very entertaining- if you're into reading I suggest giving it a shot. And for the sake of your sanity, skip the sequel unless you're writing a review for this site. It's really, really bad.

I also think that this is a great film. On one hand, it is a festival of brutal violence, among a group of students who have spent years together in school. One the other hand, it tries to make some statements about how young adults interact with each other and with adults.

In times past, I have thought about high school and my classmates. We spent all those years together learning how to be people, how to treat each other, and how to deal with conflicts with others. It's not a lot of fun learning to be a person through trial and error, and it's not a lot of fun being the other party involved.

Still, all of us made it. In some way, who I am today was influenced by my classmates - good, bad - we all taught each other something.

This is what I found so interesting about the movie, the social connections (or burned bridges) and individual personalities that made them do what they wanted. Some of the students rebelled against the adults who put them in this situation, some of them refused to deal with it, some killed out of fear of the others, some did it because they were going to survive by following the rules, and a small number seemed like they had been hoping for an excuse to kill the rest.

2. Again to point one, game is supposed to curve bad behavior, but it seems like NONE Of the students know about it. Hey, according to the book, they've heard of the "Battle Royale" but they don't know the details. Again, how the hell is this going to curb bad behavior if you don't tell people about it?

Did the students not know about it, or was it more along the lines of how some people think about death or other accidents. "It won't happen to me." I don't think that the film gave us enough to go on to decide. The fact that the students are so clueless about Battle Royale could also be intentional. It could be there to show the massive disconnect between adult society's expectations of the students, and what the students know is expected of them. "OK. I'm supposed to do homework. That's my job. I don't know why it matters, or why school matters, but it's what the adults want me to do."

Wait, are you sure about this? If he's the character I'm thinking of (psycho with a shotgun) he does say something at the beginning when they're picking out bags. He says he got the "wrong one" and trades it for another, perhaps providing yet another clue that the game (at least this particular round) is rigged.

No, that is Kawada you are thinking of. Although, granted, he is also in a suit at the beginning of the game.

One of my favorite films. While I like the film a lot the book is better overall. It gives more in depth as to how and why some of the people act the way they do. The book is long but it's a well worth reading.

One of my favorite films. While I like the film a lot the book is better overall. It gives more in depth as to how and why some of the people act the way they do. The book is long but it's a well worth reading.

True, however, the manga is even longer and has even much more depth to it.

Is any part of this movie in Black and white? I went to a SKA show last year and one of the bands that opened up for Less Than Jake was playing "bad movie" clips on the screen behind the stage. I think this movie was the one film I did not recognize. It sounds like this film and the screen shots look similar but I thought it was in Black and white. The other clips were from the Brain that wouldn't Die and Marihuana. It was a fun show. Another SKA band that plays "bad movies" during all of their shows is the Aquabats! It is fun but I find it distracting though as I start watching the film clips and try to figure out what movies they are from. They also usually bring out a person wearing a foam "monster" costume straight out of a 1950's B-movie and they fight them as part of the show. Great band.

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